I need some iOS game recommendations for my mom

So, I don't and never have had an iphone or any iOS device. I know very little about the iOS gaming scene other than I don't really want any part of it. However, I recently found out my mom has been playing a lot of Candy Crush, and as someone that takes games way too seriously, that's a disappointing thing to find out. She just uses it as a time waster, but I figure she might at as well play some good games to waste time, so I turn to the Giant Bomb community for help.

I know I could just do a google search of good iphone games, but I'd rather get recommendations from people I can trust. What I want to do is give her a list of games that are both good and casual enough for her to grasp. She isn't much of a gamer, but she is open to trying some slightly more complex games. Thanks in advance.

As far as a simple game would go that anyone can get into that definitely tops for me. Really cool matching game with some progression and depth, plus only a one off charge and no micro transaction annoyance or frustration. I think it's just 99 cents if I remember. There's a Quick Look too, check it out. It is the PC version but it's pretty much the same.

I feel that almost all games mentioned do not fit well into the Mom category and people are basically just listing good iPhone games. For example, 10000000 has a fast pace and requires a lot of grinding to make progress. I feel that a Mom would get frustrated very easily with that game. Or Plague Inc, that is a game that is tough even for hardcore strategy nerds. Tough games, games that require precision, games that require specific timing, or overly complex game mechanics != Mom Friendly game.

I recommend trying a puzzle adventure game from the developer "Fire Maple Games," their last title "The Adventures of Mosaika," is a game that can be played by a Mom. It has a well, thought out hint system, exploration, and puzzles.

Layton Brothers Mystery Room is a good one for a Mom.

Murder Files is one of the best.

Wordament is a word game that a Mom would enjoy.

Peggle

Bookworm

The Room - Weirdly, my Mom had troubles grasping a lot of the concepts behind this game. Maybe your Mom might be more willing.

Angry Birds - A staple of the "Mom Friendly" genre.

Wheres My Water

Devil's Attorney

QuizUp - Best quiz game on IOS

Simpsons: Tapped OUt - It's like virtual bubble wrap, its fun just to jump in a poke around for a while

Hay Day - One of the best "Farmville," clones ever made

Triple Town - The best match-3 on IOS, it is a less shameful version of Candy Crush Saga

Anything by PopCap, really. If she likes Candy Crush (which is really quite a vile game for various reasons) she'll probably love Bejeweled Blitz, which is almost the exact same damn thing and is free, larger and prettier and less in your face with vile monetization as Candy Crush is. The main difference between the two is Blitz is limited by time (about 1 minute per game), whereas Candy Crush limits the number of moves you have per game, and then throws various currencies at you for failing to complete a level. Peggle might fit more if she enjoys the more strategic/puzzle element of Candy Crush. Plants Vs. Zombies 1 is also great, although not free (PvZ2 is a monetized mess).

In the non-PopCap roster, Jetpack Joyride is a joy (free). Despite wanting to hate it, Angry Birds: Star Wars (not free) is actually a lot of fun even for those with just a passing knowledge of Star Wars. The issue with all the games I've mentioned, however, is that they are mostly "casual" experiences and not particularly deep.

@ll_exile_ll: @monetarydread: Ghost Trick is indeed very excellent on the phone, and the first couple chapters are free, so she can try it out before throwing money at it. Many of TellTale's adventure games are also on the app store. They are mom-friendly. I'd start with both episodes of Puzzle Agent. A cool little story plays out while you bounce from one brain teaser to the next. If she's up for a more traditional adventure game, with combining inventory in nonsensical ways, there's a bunch of Sam and Max and Back to the Future stuff.